1. The Soma Project
The Diocesan Center for Spiritual Leadership

2. Greg Troxell
Passionate about lay ministry. Over 20 years of service in
apostolic ministry, administration and teaching. Serving as a
consultant and coach to churches and individuals in
ministry.
Dr. Elizabeth Drescher
Elizabeth Drescher, PhD is Assistant Professor of Christian
Spiritualities and Director of the Center for Anglican
Learning & Leadership (CALL) at Church Divinity School of
the Pacific. A Christian spirituality scholar who explores the
practice of faith by ordinary believers today and in the past,
Dr. Drescher is the author of the forthcoming Tweet if
U ♥ Jesus: Communication, Leadership & Community in the
Digital Reformation (Church Publishing, Spring 2011)
and Choosing Our Religion: How American Believers &
Seekers are Kicking the Habit & Keeping the Faith (Fall 2011).
Postures of Christian Spirituality © WIA copy with permission 5/10/2010 2

3.  Review: Our Unique Stewardship
 Spiritual Aspirations
 Postures of Christian Spirituality
Outcomes
Help us understand and appreciate how our postures of
Christian Spirituality and Spiritual Aspirations
shape our leadership potential and ability to participate
with God day to day.
Postures of Christian Spirituality © WIA copy with permission 5/10/2010 3

4. 11 Elements Worthy of Consideration
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5. Postures of Christian Spirituality © WIA copy with permission 5/10/2010 5

6. Exploring the desires of your heart
Postures of Christian Spirituality © WIA copy with permission 5/10/2010 6

7. A B C D
Spiral Learning
A. Knowing God
B. Personal
Transformation
C. Serving Others
D. Leading Others
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8. Personal Growth
 Salvation
 Personal transformation
Transpersonal Commitment
 Service to others
 Leadership & Equipping
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9. Knowing God  A desire to know and feel
known by God
 A desire to feel
connected and at peace
with God
 A desire for eternal
security and harmony
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10. Personal Transformation  The pressing desire to
overcome that which has
been holding you back
 Desire to unburden your
soul, lifestyle or memory
 Desire to learn new
habits and ways of living
that express your
relationship with God
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11. Serving Others  Desire to serve others
 Desire to share with
others the love of God
and lessons you have
learned
 Desire to help others in
small and significant
ways
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12. Leading Others  The conviction to engage
and equip others in the
work of God
 A fundamental
commitment to live your
life for the purposes of
God
 Confidence to exercise
godly stewardship of all
your gifts, talents and
resources
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13. Spiritual Aspiration
 What is it that I most honestly and currently desire in
my relationship with God?
 What has brought me to this point in my pilgrimage?
 What offerings and commitments am I making to help
me experience that aspiration?
 What adventure lies before me now?

14. Preparing yourself for growth and service
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15. Postures of Christian Spirituality © WIA copy with permission 5/10/2010 15

16.  None is better or worse, more right or wrong than
another. Each uniquely influences the way we prefer to
connect and commit to one another and what we are
able to conceive and create together.
 The posture of the faith community is made up of the
whole or of those formally or informally in positions of
authority
 The community postures largely influence how we
lead, and those we are able to reach

18. Communal spirituality is often expressed in a genuine
enjoyment found in being in the presence of others and in
collaborating with them in service to others. In great and
small ways, those assuming a communal spiritual posture
tend to express purpose and leadership by connecting with
others and helping them to extend this connectedness
further.
Scriptural Theme
John 15:12,14 "This is My commandment, that you love one
another, just as I have loved you. You are My friends if you
do what I command you.”

19. Personal spirituality is expressed through the seeking of
wisdom and the development of insight and
compassion, typically in the context of private devotion
and interpersonal care.
Scriptural Theme
James 3:13 "Who among you is wise and understanding?
Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the
gentleness of wisdom."

20. Mystical Spirituality evokes a patient, artistic and poetic
lifestyle and interests. Those in this posture often have a
sense of holistic connectedness and uninhibited
intimacy with the divine.
Scriptural Theme
Psalm 139:7 "Where can I go from your Spirit, O Lord?"

21. Practical Spirituality is often expressed in intentional
action. Those in this posture often have a single-minded
focus on achieving results for the sake of God and with
the well being of others in mind.
Scriptural Theme
1 Thes 2:1-12 (12) “walk in a manner worthy of the God
who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”

22. Prophetic Spirituality often calls individuals and
communities to accountability and responsibility in their
relationship with God. It leans not on personal authority or
conviction but on a humble and steadfast confidence on
sharing God’s intentions with others.
Scriptural Theme
Heb 12:1,2a “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of
witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every
encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us,
and let us run with endurance the race that is
set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith”

23. Priestly Spirituality is expressed with attention and
regard to the systematic and ecclesiastical order of all
things spiritual. Those in this posture have special
regard for tradition, history and safeguarding what has
been and what is true.
Scriptural Theme
1Ch 29:18 "O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Israel, our fathers, preserve this forever in
the intentions of the heart of Your people, and
direct their heart to You”

24.  Valuable Dialogue within vital communities:
 Possibility
 Ownership
 Dissent
 Commitment
 Gifts
 Seek first to understand those in your group
 Respect, encourage the faith of one another
 Consider how the postures of those in your faith
community (individually and corporately) may shape the
potential of your life together and in the world around you

25. Communal
 What needs exist within our community?
 Whom should we invite into this Dialogue to enrich the
outcomes?
 What do we hope to create together?
Personal
 What gifts might I share with others?
 What insights do others have that would enrich my life?
 What partnerships are worth considering?

26. Mystical
 What is inspirational experiences have I had recently?
 What do I consider to be true? Essential?
 What compromises have I made that threaten the
authenticity of my opinions?
Practical
 What needs exist among us to which I can offer some
relief?
 What peoples are we marginalizing? Is this what we desire?
 In what ways can we encourage those among us to express
their full potential?

27. Prophetic
 Who among us has lost their voice or value?
 What is the preferred future to which we aspire?
 who should we invite into the Dialogue to strengthen our
understanding?
Priestly
 What value does the legacy we treasure offer the extended
community?
 Whose interests are we not serving as we conserve our
ways?
 What potential do we hope to incorporate into our
community?

28. Greg Troxell
gtroxell@gmail.com
@gtroxell
408-905-9422
Elizabeth Drescher, PhD
elizabeth@elizabethdrescher.net
@drdrescher
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